Take Your Best Shot
by XxSynergisticEffectxX
Summary: Neji, Sakura, Shikamaru and Kiba are sent on a recon mission to locate and gain information of the Akatsuki but who could have ever predicted THIS?
1. Mission Start!

_I don't own Naruto btw. If I did everyone would realize how much of a douche Sasuke is and Sakura wouldn't be so weak in useless. & I'm also going to be posting more works where Sakura isn't the main character so you all don't get tired of my obsession of Sakura pairings aha. Story Start!_

"You are to locate the Akatsuki." Tsunade spoke solemnly, her sake untouched on her desk. The busty blonde took a deep breath and stared at the team she had set up for this particular mission: Neji Hyuga, Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, and Kiba Inuzuka. "I will allow seven months for this mission, and seven months alone. You are not to engage in combat unless necessary. They are a threat that needs to be dealt with and knowing their location is vital."

All five of the young Anbu nodded curtly and left to prepare for the mission. They were to meet at the Kohana Gate at dawn and this mission required all the preparation and rest in the world. The stoic brunette known as Neji Hyuga was the team leader. His calm, rational way of thinking proved his worthiness for the job. The bright-spirited, bubblegum-haired, Sakura Haruno, the medic and second in command, she also was a great candidate for the leader position but her temper quickly ruled her out. The lazy genius, Shikamaru Nara was the perfect candidate for strategies on how to locate and stay out of the way of any Akatsuki member. The rough and rowdy, Kiba Inuzuka and his dog, Akamaru was the ideal tracker team.

The young team members arrived, Neji being first, as expected, Kiba and Akamaru next, Shikamaru, and Sakura finally. The young Anbu squad was to dispatch in approximately ten minutes, wanting to begin their long tedious mission precisely at dawn.

"Sakura, being Second in command means you are to be my shadow. My thoughts and feelings are to be yours." Neji scolded without looking at the exhausted-looking girl. She nodded weakly and quietly apologized, adjusting her pack and yawning.

'Sakura looks so tired.' Kiba observed as Akamaru proceeded to urinate before the mission was to being. He was right, the young kunoichi's hair was messy, her uniform was lazily strapped to her body, she had dark circles under her eyes and her Anbu mask wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Sakura, are you physically capable to complete this mission?" Shikamaru asked, his voice showing sympathy and concern as Sakura was one of the only people he could spar AND hold an intellectual conversation with.

"What?" she shook her head and looked over at her fellow teammate, "Oh! Yes I'm completely fine." She said, her voice showing no signs that she was lying and with a quick surge of her chakra the circles under her eyes were gone, her hair was fixed and her uniform was on safely, and she immediately looked better.

"Okay." He left the girl to her own affairs.

Sakura tied her hair back in a long braid (her hair did reach mid-back) , unsheathed her Katanas, inspecting them, making sure they hadn't dulled, re-sheathed them, then pulled her Panda mask from her pack and hung it like a necklace around her neck. "Hyuga-san, are you ready to depart?" She asked formally, taking her place beside Neji.

"Hai. We leave, now." He called and the four of the young Anbu dispatched, leaving nothing as evidence that they were ever there.


	2. Frustration and Grief

They moved, from branch to branch, expertly and efficiently, daylight quickly coming then just as quickly going. The sun cast an orange-ish glow throughout the woods, occasionally the soft clicking of their heels on the woods could be heard, but that was all. It was breathtaking. But this "peaceful" scene wasn't enough to fool the quick-witted ninjas. The coffee-haired ninja's head spiked up as he felt a familiar chakra. He quickly removed his katana from its sheath and prepared for an attack, not looking behind him. He knew if the Akatsuki knew they were there they wouldn't attack and poof, there goes the mission.

"Akatsuki…" the word left a sour taste in his mouth and he frowned. 'A good team leader would've sent scouts ahead.' He paled (to which no one noticed as he was in his full Anbu uniform) and wanted to let whatever Akatsuki scum was trailing them kill him where he stood for his simple (and to the perfectionist himself) unforgivable offense.

"Neji! Quit daydreaming! They have Sakura!" Kiba yelled before performing his signature 'fang over fang' jutsu. The Hyuga looked up, no longer seeing the pink-haired girl or feeling her chakra signature." He looked up at the sky and cursed at how quickly night was coming. He shook his head and kneeled, pulling off his mask and letting it hang around his neck.

"No even the slightest flair of her chakra..." Shikamaru sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow, "How troublesome." No one noticed how anger and sorrow lit up his eyes and how he clenched his teeth to avoid cursing the Akatsuki to hell and back.

"I knew she wasn't one hundred percent when she showed up late this morning! I should've made her go home!" Kiba growled, inwardly slapping himself, stalking off to (most likely) go destroy a tree (or 12). Akamaru put his head down, under his paws, hiding from the horrible mood. Frustration and grief were radiating off of the men in waves and that was no good for the sensitive-nosed dog. He whimpered and Neji got to his feet.

"Our mission in postponed for now. We shall go to Kohana, gather reinforcements, fetch Sakura from those bastards and then torture information out of them." The Anbu leader belted out, his fists curling and un-curling, failure not an option here. He put his mask back on and disappeared, his team not far behind. They could make it to Kohana in a day but finding the Akatsuki and Sakura might take quite a bit of time if they encounter uncooperative villagers.

_Sakura…I'm so sorry…we'll get you back home. I promise. _Neji's resolve only strengthened as he thought of the pink-haired, quick-tempered kunoichi. His team thought similar thoughts as they headed toward Kohana, ready to beat anyone to a pulp who got in their way.

_Hey guys! I'm sorry I've been away for a while but my laptop has been retarded lately :P I know the ending is super crappy and this is super short but my next one will be way better I promise. _


	3. What a twist!

"You could've at least given me some sort of warning before you did this." Sakura scolded the Akatsuki member that currently had her hoisted over their shoulder. The male didn't respond but continued moving through the forest until they reached a small clearing. Sakura was immediately to her feet and glaring at the man in front of her. "Well?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at the Akatsuki member. The Akatsuki member removed the straw hat, and a she was met with a familiar set of coal black eyes and deep, ink colored hair.

"I apologize for initiating _your_ plan Haruno-san." A deep, masculine voice replied stoically at the pinkette in front of him. Sakura blushed slightly, remembering that this was indeed _her_ plan and she should've expected Itachi to be well….Itachi. They were to meet halfway through to Iwakagure. Sakura was too busy fighting with her self-conscience about the guilt she was feeling to even notice where they were.

"ARG! Itachi you know I hate it when you're so formal, and agitating. You can be rather annoying you know." Sakura exploded, swaying slightly in her stance but steadying herself. The Uchiha male rolled his eyes at his lover, wondering exactly why he had chosen her over the other women that fawn and throw themselves at his feet. _Because those women make you sick. _He reasoned with himself watching as the girl verbally berated him no idea he wasn't listening. _You're crazy you know that right? You're talking to yourself while you have an incredibly sexy female in front of you practically begging for you to kiss her. _He nodded waiting for her to pause to take a breath.

He dominated her mouth with his, showing himself that he wasn't _too_ crazy and still had the ability to make Sakura go weak in the knees (and with the way she was making him her only support and attempting to suppress the moans that were belting out of her throat he was rather good at the latter.)

"I-Itachi, we should keep going. I don't want us to be caught." Sakura whispered, still trying to fill her lungs with the sweet oxygen from which she was previously deprived of.

"How little faith you have Sakura-chan. You assume we couldn't handle a couple of Leaf Anbu?" He asked, chuckling slightly at the flustered look on her face.

"No. NO, I'm just saying not being caught would be less….troublesome." She answered, letting her inner Shikamaru out. For being in a team with him so long they all began to take on traits of one another. Such as Sakura's more and more frequent "troublesomes" or Neji's newly found temper, or Shikamaru's new puppy, Cloud and who could forget Kiba's new tendency to watch the clouds with Akamaru. The team was close, _not close enough for you to abandon them eh?_ Sakura's inner laughed sadistically. Sakura frowned but continued following Itachi towards the Akatsuki base.

Suddenly, Itachi stopped, Sakura almost bumping into him. He turned to her, his dark eyes almost saying, 'I hate to do this but I have to.' "Blossom, I mus-" Itachi started but, Sakura cut him off with her index finger covering his lips. He sighed, and removed her gloved hand from his face and

"I know, I know. "To protect the safety of the organization."" She mocked him, using a poor imitation of his voice, she dared not to voice the laugh that was itching at the back of her throat. _'Man what is it with Uchihas and knocking people out?' _She thought to herself, realizing how alike they really were. He merely raised an eyebrow and she sighed dramatically, "Just knock me out already!" She basically screamed at the passive man in front of her who was inwardly rolling his eyes and wondering if she would even consider joining him in the Akatsuki, so he would have to stop this silly routine. It was key that non-members didn't know how to enter the base he knew this but, surely Leader-sama knew she meant no harm. _Or maybe she's just gathering information for Kohana. You have trusted this girl too quickly Itachi. _His inner-self reprimanded him, he knew that Sakura's love wasn't without sacrifice and that he was taking great risks by being in a relationship with her yet he couldn't find it in his sick, twisted, black-hole of a heart, to let her go. She was too special to him and Kami knows he couldn't take losing another person he cared about.

"Itachi-kun….? Are you okay? You've been staring at me for about three minutes…" Sakura waved her hand in front of her lover's face. Out of instinct Itachi grabbed her hand, with force, and they both heard several bones snap. Sakura yanked her hand back and laughed nervously, hiding the fact that she wasn't in the enormous amount of pain that she was. Itachi took her hand and began to reverse the damage that he had caused with the insignificant amount of medical jutsu he knew. "'Tachi-kun it's fine! No really, I'll heal it myself it's okay. I shouldn't have scared you." She waved her (unbroken) hand in the air and her the green chakra almost a matching color to her emerald eyes surrounded her hand, setting and mending the shattered bones.

Itachi wanted to capture himself in his own tsukuyomi for hurting his precious Sakura, who was horrible at hiding the fact that she was terrified, if the tremors that took over her spine every now and then were any clue. She had her back turned to him pretending to heal her hand while in fact he knew she had been done several moments ago. He grabbed her shoulder, she turned her head slowly and smiled a Sai signature smile and his heart broke in two knowing it was genuine. He pulled her into his arms quickly, ignoring her alarmed squeal or how tense she was in his arms, he just wanted her to know that he was truly sorry.

"It's okay 'Tachi-kun. I forgive you." She smiled, with real meaning this time, in his arms then pushing away. She closed her eyes and held up her hands, "I'm ready now." He nodded and hit a pressure point but, not before Sakura could whisper her final thoughts, "I love you Itachi Uchiha." Then, her world was swallowed in complete darkness.

_See! I promised and I delivered! The next few chapters will be pretty gooood, my thoughts for this story exceed original expexctations :D so be ready for some crazzzzy stuff. Kbai. _


	4. Disappointment

"SAKURA WHAT?" Tsunade slammed her fists down on her desk, rising out of her seat ignoring the fact that there was now sake all over her paperwork and her desk was now in shambles around her feet. She was too taken aback on how her (in modest terms)_ BEST_ kunoichi was kidnapped, and as if that wasn't enough of a slap in the face she was kidnapped while in the presence of her most _elite _Anbu team. She glared at the three kneeling Anbu: dog, canary and sloth otherwise known as: Kiba Inuzuka, Neji Huuyga, and Shikamaru Nara.

The three males flinched at the threatening aura the blonde was emanating, her voice dripping with the intent to kill. Neji stood from his kneeling stance preparing to take punishment for his lack of performance in the field. Sakura was _his _second in command, and also one of his closest friends, her abduction was completely unacceptable. He cleared his throat to talk but was interrupted by Tsunade yelling for Shizune.

"Bring me _EVERY_ available Anbu! NOW! And don't forget the sake!" She screamed, a rather large, pulsing, vein in her forehead becoming more and more prominent. She sat in her chair, sighing dramatically, folding her hands on the air as if her desk wasn't in pieces on the floor at her feet. Milliseconds later four Anbu were in her office, all except one taking the same kneeling position as the others were. Fox, eagle, bear, and tiger: Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee, Shino Aburame and Sai.

Naruto stood, clenching and unclenching his fists the nine tails' chakra already consuming him. Everyone knew that Naruto was becoming unstable and stayed on guard, not wanting to be on the receiving end of his wrath. By the way he constantly shifted his weight from foot to foot it was apparent he wanted to leave, now.

"I'm assuming you all know why you've been called?" Tsunade asked the seven men who all just wanted to get _their _Sakura yet. The pinkette had become quite a sensation anywhere ninjas were known, her powerful combat skills and equal healing abilities conversation worthy indeed. She was kind to everyone, enemies couldn't even stand her kindness and beauty for too long (though she had a temper and could punch you to Iwa and back everyone loved her.)

Naruto growled, a pure guttural hiss escaping from his chest. Everyone rose to their feet, ready to hold the famed knucklehead ninja back. "LET US GO NOW! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO HER! WE'RE WASTING TIME!" He shouted, his eyes flashing a deadly vermillion.

"DON'T RUSH ME BOY! YOU DON'T THINK I DON'T WANT YOU OUT THERE RIGHT NOW? YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED; I'M NOT SENDING YOU SEVEN INTO THIS THING BLIND! YOU WILL BE PROPERLY BRIEFED AND WILL MEET AT THE GATES TONIGHT. Now, I am still your Hokage and you shall treat me as such." She said, her voice unusually calm, a rather foreign noise to the seven men who thought her calm voice, eerie.

"Now, there have been several sightings of the Akatsuki lately. We don't have time to root through all of them too thoroughly. I will send Inuzuka and Sai to Suna where you will meet with the Kazekage and discuss the sightings will him. (The two men nodded, Kiba inwardly shivered, Gaara's emotionless eyes filling his mind.) Nara and Aburame to Mist, this is hostile territory be on alert. Huuyga, Uzumaki, and Lee will go to Iwa, where the mission was to take place. You will gather information and you will not engage in combat unless ONE HUNDRED PERCENT NECESSARY. You will report to me via messenger hawk every week. " She briefed the men who nodded eagerly, wanting to embark on the mission already. "Okay, now pack your supplies, rest and meet at dusk. Now, get out of my office." She rolled her eyes at how quickly the men departed from the room, "Shizune! Where's that damn Sake?" The quirky brunette scrambled into the office and poured a cup of the Hokage's drink of choice. "This is going to be a long week."

At precisely dawn the seven men met briefly to organize their specified groups then did as shooting stars; there one second, gone the next.


	5. Getting Cozy

"Tobi missed Sakura-chan!" Tobi yelped as he tackled the groggy female as she woke up on the rather plush sofa of the lobby of the Akatsuki base. **'Was he watching us sleep? Whadda weirdo…**' Her inner shivered. She laughed as he squeezed the life out of her until she felt herself turn the color of Konan's hair and she tapped lightly on Tobi's back, "Sakura-chan would appreciate it if Tobi-kun would let her breath." She laughed as he pulled away scratching the back of his masked-head. "Tobi apologizes. Tobi really is a good boy!" He exclaimed as he hugged Sakura again then ran out of the room to do whatever Tobi's did.

"Ah, welcome back Sakura." Sasori greeted, ever formal, as he walked down the staircase adjacent from the "living room" and sat down on the couch, turning on the flat screen that the group had acquired during Sakura's absence from the base. His wood color eyes seemed darker to Sakura, and his rust color hair looked…extra rusty. '_It's Sasori, he never leaves his room.' _**'He's always working on those demented puppets of his.' **Her inner remarked rudely.She merely brushed off her own comment (no matter how weird that would sound to one.)

"Always nice to see you Sasori-kun!" She replied cheerily, smiling the famous Sakura smile (the very same one that made even the most attractive women envious of her.) He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and clicked off the television, going back up the stairs. "Well bye to you too…..hm. I wonder where 'Tachi-kun is?" She voiced aloud, stretching her arms above her head.

"He's training with Zetsu, un." A familiar voice boomed from behind her. She put her arms down and titled her head back, smiling.

"Hi Dei-chan!" She giggled at flush of color that appeared on his cheeks at the nickname. He merely walked away mumbling something along the lines of, "...not a girl un." She sighed at the sudden rush of loneliness she felt from the seemingly empty base. She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned, "Well, isn't this great?"

"Yes you are." A velvet-smooth voice purred in her left ear, his voice like warm honey. She tensed then relaxed in the Itachi's arms before jumping up, alarmed. "What is it?" He asked, reaching for his weapons pouch. She smacked his hand lightly, as if to tell him _'no, that's not it' _then frowned:

"'Tachi-kun….you stink and you're all sweaty. Now you have your sweat and stink all over me!" She yelped, pushing his loose, sweaty hair out of his face to prove her point.

He smirked, getting as close as he could to the kunoichi, _his _kunoichi. "Well, would you like to join me in cleansing myself of the sweat and stink?" He asked, a tad bit of perverseness staining his blatantly inappropriate question.

"Why, I thought you'd never ask!" Sakura smiled, her emerald pools glinting with a hint of mischief and lust.

"Save it for the bedroom you too! Gah, you're gonna kill me with all that sweet-talk." Kisame laughed drunkenly, literally. He was already drunk and it was just sundown. **'Damn fish.' **

"Jealous?" Sakura asked, rubbing her hand over Itachi's abdomen to enhance her homosexual innuendo, sticking her tongue out at the drunken man who was currently contemplating the meaning of "those damned Twilight movies..."

"He's obviously gay! With all that makeup he wears….and she's so emotionally constipated. Why do they never make good stuff anymore?" He asked to no one in particular, trying to drink out of his bone dry bottle of Sake, throwing it to the ground then hitting the next one, chugging half of it before passing out (out of his chair) with his head on the ground and his feet up in the air.

"What the fuck happened to the fucking fish?" Hidan asked in his explicit, blunt way.

"I don't know. What the fuck do you think happened to the fucking fish? Bastard." Sakura snickered at the look of pure anger on the Jashin worshiper's face at being out-cussed.

"Go fuck your boy-toy you fucking whore." He hissed, stomping up the stairs to go sacrifice something pink. That girl just got under his skin, in the worst way possible.

"That may just be the best advice I've heard, ever." Itachi smirked, getting up and making his way up the stairs to the black oak door that led to his room.

"And I thought I was the only one." Sakura followed suit, rushing upstairs after her lover.


	6. Hellllo Iwa!

Neji, Naruto and Lee moved expertly and quietly through the forests of the villages they would pass through and near, all in hopes of reaching Iwakagure before the second sunrise set. Neji led the group, his byakugan the main reason of course, an ambush would be like salt in the wound with Sakura's precious life already in some murderous traitor's hands. Lee was a close second, in case an ambush was to happen he could easily back Neji with his taijutsu and hopefully Naruto wouldn't have to intervene; because both Neji and Lee could do nothing then feel bad for the person that got caught between Naruto and Sakura. Naruto brought up the rear, his sulking being one of the main reasons he wasn't in line with Lee, trying to win their ever-present competition. While the usually energetic boy was beyond depressed his deadly chakra was more than palpable and the two men in front of him were trying _not _to get in his way.

They arrived at the village gates approximately three or so hours before sunset and they were making rather great time.

"Do you have papers?" The guard asked nonchalantly eyeing the three men up and down.

"Of course, what a youthful question you ask!" Lee exclaimed, flashing the guard his identification without removing his mask (as if his loud remark and even louder green outfit wasn't _enough_ to set him apart from the rest of his cell.) Neji merely nodded, showing him his papers and Naruto (who had removed his mask all together) grunted, walking past him without showing anyone anything.

"Hey! You get back h-" Naruto shot him a menacing look and the guard gulped, (literally) shivering in his boots, "G-go ahead." He panted out, turning away from the group. Lee ran past him, eager to find some information on "his blossom of youth and beauty" before either of his teammates. Neji sighed and shook his head, preforming a transformation jutsu. Naruto didn't say anything just walked into the village.

_"They won't talk to a ninja…but maybe they'll talk to me…" _Neji thought to himself, looking at his reflection in a nearby store window: he now had short black hair and light gray eyes with honey-colored specks. _"That'll work." _He nodded and went into a rather intimidating (as in if he wasn't a ninja he'd probably be pissing himself) looking bar, _The Katana's Edge. _

"Hey Sexy, you want to see a good time?" A fragile-looking woman, who had some white powder under her nose, a red bikini top and tight leather pants, seven-inch black heels and almost a _million _tattoos covering her body, head-to-toe slurred, rolling her hips at Neji.

"Do you have any information on the Akatsuki?" He asked her, completely ignoring her question altogether. She sobered up slightly and he raised an eyebrow. "Well….?"

"I-I have no idea _what_ you're talking about." She obviously lied.

"You sure about that?" He asked, inwardly rolling his eyes but outwardly pinning her to the nearest wall and rubbing his hand over her inner-thigh. _"I honestly have no idea how kunoichi do seduction missions, I feel disgusting." _

"T-They were here….a few hours ago, a small girl was with them, blonde hair, purple eyes, kinda big forehead. Though she didn't appear to be having such a bad time, seeing as how she was grinding all up on the black-haired one with the stress lines under his eyes.

_"They must've been using some sort of jutsu on her….we'll get you soon Sakura."_ He thought to himself, his grip on the girl's wrists loosening slightly. "Where?"

"Where _WHAT?_ I already told you what I knew." She spat.

"I think you're lying and I have my ways," he applied more pressure to the girl's wrist and pushing her against the wall harder, "to find out the truth." He rolled his tongue over his teeth and she swallowed.

"Look near the stream head, there's rumors going around that there's a grand house at the head of it and I'd bet everything that's where you can find them."

"Thank you." He bowed and quickly moved to find his team and make a move on his lead.

"WAIT! So you don't wanna mess around?" She yelled after him. He kept running. Finding Lee wasn't that difficult as all he had to do was ask for a man in green spouting something about Akatsuki and youth and an old woman pointed a frail finger to the east, where he found him trying to get information out of a small child that couldn't have been more than seven. Neji sweat-dropped and grabbed Lee by his collar, pulling him away from the confused child.

"I know where they are, we need to find N-"he was cut off by a woman's scream and loud shouting around the corner, it didn't even take a second for them to get there and Neji had no doubt that Naruto had a part in the panic.

"Don't tell me you don't know anything I know you're lying!" Naruto growled at an older civilian who looked like he was going to piss himself. He had him by the collar of his shirt and pinned against the side of a building. Neji tapped him on his back mouth, 'we found them' to his furious team mate and they headed out but, not before Naruto could swear to the man that was still shuddering heavily, "I swear to God if anything happens to Sakura-chan you're dead."

They headed off towards the stream, faster than lightning all in hopes to see their Sakura-chan alive.

_ Sorry, I know the ending was crappy but I'll make up for it next chapter! Believe it!_

_Kisame: "Oh no the Fox-brat is rubbing off on her." _

_Me: "Shut up Fish stick-chan, before I make you a cross-dresser in the next chapters." _

_Kisame: "Did you just call me….Fish stick-chan?"_

_Me: "Yes Sir I did."_

_Kisame: *walks away*_

_Me: "Please review!" _


	7. I have a plan

Sakura sighed contently, stretching her pale, well-toned arms above her head. "Well, that was _amazing, _as usual 'Tachi-kun." Sakura giggled at Itachi's faint blush at her reference to their night's previous (ahem) endeavors. He ran a hand through her long, bubblegum locks and she reveled in his touch. He smirked at her reaction he pulled her on top of him, kissing her roughly earning him a gasp, to which he took advantage with his reasonably talented tongue.

Abruptly, both of them tensed, every single muscle in their bodies, stiffening and almost instantaneously they were out of bed, fully clothed with their weapons affixed to their bodies. There was two knocks at Itachi's door, one light and barely audible and the other loud and brash. It didn't take much thought to realize which Akatsuki member this was, Zetsu. "Hurry! There are leaf-nin gaining on the base and Pein called a meeting!" **"PUT ON YOUR FUCKING PANTS AND GET THE HELL OUT HERE! DAMN LEAF ANBU ARE HERE AND PEIN WANTS TO KILL YOU SAKURA!" **

Sakura sweat-dropped and inwardly groaned, _'Thanks Zetsu…' __**'Holy fuck! He's probably right...run! Say you were tortured for information and play the damsel in distress!' **_She was deep in thought with herself, wondering if running was the smart option and by the look of betrayal and ire in Itachi's onyx eyes showed that he caught on to her thoughts and weren't too happy about them.

"If you plan on acting on those thoughts you're having _Haruno-san _I will be forced to kill you and the Leaf-nin that are presumably on their way to fetch you, and it _won't _be pretty." He threatened, his tone no longer the light, amused tone he usually used with his lover but icy and full of venom. Sakura ignored the pang of hurt in her chest and followed him down the stairs and into the dimly lit meeting room where Pein sat at his desk his elbows on the desk and his fingers laced in front of his pierced face, with Konan next to him.

"As all of you are aware, we are under siege by Leaf Anbu and there is little time to divert them. We will stay and fight and I predict that there will be casualties. But, the remaining members of this attack shall meet in the base we have set up in Sound." His voice never faltered, his ringed eyes staying calm and collected, his hands never uncrossed from in front of his face. "And Miss Haruno. If you choose to side with Leaf…you shall be hunted. Our secrets are just that, _our secrets. _"

Fear never really was an emotion Sakura felt but this time she knew that his threat wasn't empty and she gulped, considerably paling. "I-I understand Leader-sama." Sakura answered slightly inclining her hand, her shoulders shaking as she bowed. "But, I do have a plan…" Pein nodded his head at her for her to continue.

_Mwahahahaha! Cliff-hanger! Yes, I'm evil *bows* Only a few more chapters and I'll start working on some requests (oh, IM me if you have any :D) kbai! _


	8. Did you see THAT coming? Well?

Sakura fled from the Akatsuki base, her clothes torn, her hair scorched, left eye dark and swollen, and cuts and bruises adorning the tender flesh of her arms, and legs. Her side was bleeding and she was limping but she was almost to Naruto, he was coming and coming fast and she could only hope that he had picked up on her chakra, she was getting too tired to run and she couldn't let the Akatsuki catch her. The consequences would be _very _dire if she was caught, and she was already too near death already. She had no doubts that they would heal her then repeat her injuries until they were content with revenge.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice boomed across the small field that was between them, he tore his mask from his face and it dangled around his neck. Sakura smiled weakly and fell to the ground, the poison from one of Sasori's puppets finally taking control of her. Neji and Lee were to her side instantly, tending to her wounds with the limited knowledge of medical jutsu that they had Sakura teach them in case they were ever in the situation where they would need it.

"Poison." Neji said the word grimly; it left a sour taste in his mouth, even more so because he was talking about Kohana's blossom: Sakura Haruno. He looked at her angelic face, which was getting paler by each passing second and wiped the thin trail of her blood from the left corner of her mouth.

"Will she s-survive?" Lee's voice faltered and his bushy brows knitted together in worry. Naruto stood there, clenching his fists, his face twisted in fury and fear. When he turned to go after Akatsuki Neji stood and preformed the seal that Tsunade had showed him before leaving for this sort of occasion.

"Not if we don't get her to a hospital with a knowledgeable nurse, now." He pulled the near-dead girl from the ground and hoisted her onto his back, as Lee did the same the unconscious Naruto.

Sakura's eyes fluttered and she realized she was on someone's back, moving _FAST _through the woods of Iwa. She recognized the chakra signature, and relaxed. "N-Neji-kun?" She asked though her voice hoarse and dry. Said man almost lost his footing on the branch he was landing on and sighed.

"You scared me." He told Lee to advance to Kohana and tell Tsunade what happened and to inform the other teams of Sakura's safe arrival.

"A Huuyga scared?" Sakura faked an incredulous expression before laughing then flinching in pain.

"Does your side hurt?" He asked, watching her hand go instinctively to her right side, trying to heal it as best as she could in her disheveled state.

"Only a little…Neji, thank you." She said, pushing the man to the trunk of the tree (mind you they were still on a branch) and getting her face close to his.

"S-Sakura?" He asked, blushing slightly. _'Calm yourself, Huuyga's do not blush. You take control.' _He nodded as she pursed her lips and wrapped her arms his neck. He flipped their position, earning a surprised gasp from Sakura, and pressed his lips to hers, but not before the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. Sakura smirked against his lips as a familiar figure behind him twisted the blade a little more.

"Arrogant Huuyga." Itachi hissed as more blood split from Neji's mouth. Itachi pulled the blade from his abdomen and nodded towards Sakura. She grimaced and took Neji's face, which was twisted in pain, and twisted until a sickening _crack _was heard and Neji's body fell limply to the ground below.

After going through all of Neji's items, and keeping those of which that were useful, Sakura carefully buried the Huuyga deep underground (her chakra enhanced punches helped out _a lot_ in this area) and making sure there was no visible evidence she smiled, wiping her hands on her pants. She looked to the jar that was placed in between her feet Sakura winced, uncomfortable at the way Neji's eyes (hey, they were useful) were staring up at her, she pushed it away with her left foot, shivering.

"Sakura…" Itachi's velvet voice purred in her right ear, making her jump but, his grip on her shoulders prevented her feet from coming off the floor.

She turned and looked at Itachi, then behind him to some of the rest of the Akatsuki and flashed her signature smile, "Mission complete!" She saluted and nodded at Pein. He merely nodded back as Kisame came flying through the woods a dead Lee on his back and Deidara right after him with an unconscious Naruto on his.

"Man, this freak looks _just _like his sensei." Kisame shuddered, burning Lee's body with a fire jutsu Itachi had taught him. The smell of burning flesh filled the air but was dispelled when Konan used one of her wind-based jutsus to shoo away the stench and the ashes.

"This fox-brat is really weird when he sleeps. If he said _Sakura-chan_ one more time and I was going to drop him un." Deidara rolled his visible eye. Dropping the kyuubi container at Pein's feet.

"I told you I could get the kyuubi and fix our Anbu problem." Sakura said, flushing the toxic poison from her body. "Though you could've used less sedative Sasori." She frowned, healing all of her wounds.

"Be grateful that I even agreed to your plan." Sasori sated stoically, his blank look not changing.

"I think beating the shit out of pink-bitch was the best fucking plan _EVER_!" Hidan ranted, cursing when Sakura chucked his scythe 1000 meters away.

"Tobi thinks Sakura-chan's plan was a very good one." Tobi nodded frantically, only for Sakura to sweat-drop and pet his head lightly.

"Disband." Everyone's discussions were cut short by the simple word from Pein's mouth. They all nodded and headed towards the base. Sakura was about to take off (after securing Neji's eyes of course) but she noticed Itachi staring daggers at Neji's grave.

"'Tachi-kun?" She asked, rubbing soothing circles in his back.

"He kissed you." He spat, and his eyes narrowed and fists clenched.

"If this is why you're so upset you'll have to stare at Deidara like this too." Sakura lied, smirking at his shocked yet still immensely pissed expression. She couldn't stop the laugh that was building in her throat but she let it out as he disappeared in the direction of the base. She waited for about three minutes and fell on the forest floor when she heard Deidara's shouts.

"Itachi what the hell un?"

_ Crash. _

"Quit it you bastard un!"

_Boom. _

"Woah! Woah! Fuck un."

_Bang. _

Sakura smiled and headed for home, shaking her head, "Man. This is going to be fun."

_Ohohohoh. That Sakura (; wellp. This is done (for now). Don't forget to voice any requests! Kbai! _


End file.
